Posted on 05/31/2004 2:24:20 PM PDT by byteback
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- Iraqi Governing Council members accused American officials Monday of pressuring them to accept Washington's choice for Iraq's new president, prompting a delay in the announcement of a new government to take power from the U.S.-led coalition June 30.
U.N. envoy Lakhdar Brahimi had hoped to complete the selection of the 26-member Cabinet by Monday. However, a Governing Council session that was to have chosen a president was postponed until at least Tuesday, with sharp differences remaining between the council and the coalition over the largely ceremonial head of state job.
"I hope it will be taken tomorrow," Governing Council spokesman Hameed al-Kafaei said of the choice of president. "But then again, there is no sacred date and it could take another day or two."
Most council members favor civil engineer Ghazi Mashal Ajil al-Yawer, 45, the current council president. The Americans are backing former foreign minister Adnan Pachachi, 81. Both are Sunni Muslims.
Two council members said other candidates may be put forward to break the deadlock.
(Excerpt) Read more at breakingnews.nypost.com ...
All calculated theater.
They must have been listening to Drudge's radio show last night.
Headline reads as though NOBODY in Iraq wants this guy.
"Germans pissed that they lost !"
Well I think it's a problem that they want to nominate some guy who blames tyhe security problems on incompetence of US troops. That's right out of a Kerry speech. I don't think these people quite understand that they themselves are going to have to take control of their own country.
I agree with you. Drudge said the iraqi's should be able to choose who they want. Not who USA wants. If they ask us to leave on July 1, what then? Pack up?
Give them back the Butcher and be done with these morons!
Probably having the head of the big Sunni party assassinated on Sunday (Kahtan Al-Rubaie, killed by four gunmen in Mahmudiya) hasn't helped things. This hasn't gotten much reporting, but I think it's important.
Hello???? This is going to be, as it should be, an APPOINTED government . . . That's what happens when wars are won - the winners appoint new governments. Duh! That was the whole point of fighting and winning the war - to get a new government in place that would be more to our liking (and let's not pretend otherwise). Everyone expects a future democratically elected government, but in the meantime, let's not forget that we're talking about an appointed government - one that meets the requirements of those who won the war.
The world press seems to be thinking that we didn't win a war in the first place . . .
This is because whoever is chosen will only be there for 6 months and must give up the position once a democratic body is chosen by the people. It's far more likely that an 81 year old man will be willing to give up that seat than a man who is 45. We want to make sure that whoever is there WILL actually give over that power to an elected President.
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